May 15 The Health Benefits of Garlic

Let’s talk about the health benefits of garlic. Garlic comes from the plant Allium sativum which is latin for “cultivated bulb”. It has been used by humans for thousands of years and originated in Asia.

The primary benefit of garlic occurs via release of a molecule called alliin. Alliin releases hydrogen sulfide molecules (H2S), which gives garlic its unique smell and taste. Hydrogen sulfide is a known vasodilator, which is a fancy way of saying it improves blood flow. Fresh garlic and aged garlic supplements are generally considered the two best sources of garlic. In order to maximize alliin production, garlic should crushed sliced or chewed prior to cooking.

And one more thing real quickly: there are a lot of potential benefits but many of them are based on very small studies or animal studies. So just keep in mind this list could change over time as the body of research grows.